262 The Smithsonian Institution 



of space with the very limited appropriation. The plan was 

 designed by General Montgomery C. Meigs, U. S. A., well 

 known as an engineer and as the superintendent of the ex- 

 tension of the United States Capitol, aided by Adolph Cluss, 

 by whom the plans were drawn and the structure superin- 

 tended. The building is 300 feet square and one story in 

 height, with pavilions three stories high at each corner, and 

 in the center of each side. In addition to the seventeen ex- 

 hibition halls, there are in the pavilion 160 rooms for offices 

 and workshops. The amount of floor space available for 

 exhibition purposes is 90,000 feet, the cost for each square 

 foot having been less than $2.50. Notwithstanding the ex- 

 treme economy of the structure, which has cost less than 

 25 per cent, as much for the accommodation afforded as any 

 other permanent building ever erected, it was completed for 

 less than the amount of the appropriation, and a small balance 

 recovered into the treasury. The floors are laid directly 

 upon the earth, and the building is absolutely without base- 

 ment rooms. There is thus no opportunity for work rooms 

 and store rooms, which is a most serious defect. In other 

 respects, however, as the experience of 15 years has demon- 

 strated, the building is admirably suited for its purposes, and 

 has been much more useful than many far more pretentious 

 and costly structures. 



In 1890 a small structure for an astrophysical observatory 

 was erected on the grounds immediately south of the Smith- 

 sonian building and a description of it, together with the 

 ground plan showing the location of the principal instruments, 

 is given in the chapter on the Astrophysical Observatory. 



The grounds were first laid out under the directions of the 

 Regents in 1849, and planted with trees and shrubs, com- 

 prising about one hundred and fifty species, chiefly Amer- 

 ican, and were inclosed in a hedge of Pyrocanthus, Osage 



